Girlfriend of man accused of recording sex assault of young girls charged

HOUSTON -- A 42-year-old man is accused of molesting children as far back as 1999, and now his girlfriend is facing a felony charge in the case as well.

Julia Lack, girlfriend of Tad Costin, has been arrested. Detectives with the Pearland Police Department charged Lack with one count of possession of child pornography. The charge stems from evidence seized at Lack's residence earlier this week after the execution of a search warrant.

It was Lack's father who found the evidence that broke this case wide open. On Thursday, Benny Lack broke his silence and opened up about the disturbing discovery his wife made in their home.

"It's just like making us look like we're the bad people," he said. "I walked in there and it was sick. I couldn't even look at it all the way through." What he saw were videos and images of Lack's boyfriend, Tad Costin, allegedly engaging in sexual acts with a number of little girls. Some wearing Disney nightgowns. The videos, Lack says, were on a telephone SIM card that was stashed away in a box of his daughter's belongings.

"Once I seen it, I said he's got to be stopped. There wasn't a doubt in my mind," Benny Lack said. "All I was trying to do was protect my daughter." The father said he called police, who then began investigating Costin.

Costin is now charged with four counts of sexual assault of a child. Authorities say the 42-year-old sexually assaulted as many as 15 girls ranging in ages from four to seven years old, and is accused of engaging in sexual acts with victims as far back as 1999.

Investigators say they found hundreds possibly thousands of images at the Pearland home he shares with Julia Lack. He was arrested there on Friday. Benny Lack says he doesn't regret turning Costin in to authorities, even though now his daughter faces a charge of possession of child porn. "You don't believe your daughter participated in any of this?" we asked him. "I do not," he said.

Benny Lack says he has not spoken with his daughter since Costin's arrest and was not aware of her arrest when we spoke with him. Julia Lack's bond has been set at $30,000.

If you know anything related to this case, you are asked to call the Harris County District Attorney's Office or Detective Cecil Arnold with the Pearland Police Department at 281-997-4151.